The Rocker Chair
by Darth Breezy
Summary: Anakin builds a gift for his soon to be child... a story of happiness for Ani & Padme'... Complete as of 12th September (7 chapters+note)
1. Default Chapter

Usual Disclaimers: Uncle George, please don't sue me….

"The Rocker Chair"

By Darth Breezy

Author's Note and intro: This is a short story that takes place say in the /early/mid E-3 era. It goes on the assumption that Anakin knows that Padme' is pregnant (but it is still not commonly known nor accepted). Not a whole lot of angst or dark side stuff this time. Just a side note that sprang from another story.

    Padme' sighed and rolled over to look at the chrono and as soon as she realized what time it was she practically threw herself out of bed. 

    "Anakin!" she shouted from the bedroom. "Why on Coruscant did you turn off the alarm? You knew I had a meeting this morning..."

    Anakin wandered into the bedroom, almost nonchalantly, carrying a cup of sweet tea. He was dressed in his leggings and light shirt and seemed completely unperturbed by Padme's distress.

    "You should go back to bed," he said gently. "You've been so unwell... and... and well... there's the baby..." He almost choked on this last sentence, still trying to wrap his mind around the situation. She had only told him of the pregnancy a week ago and had fallen ill so soon after that Anakin had not really had a chance to consider this new situation. Obi-wan had graciously, if begrudgingly, allowed him to stay with her during the illness and subsequently, while the council decided to on what to do in light of the new developments. While he was able to, he planned on staying with her as much as he possibly could. Padme', however, seemed to have other plans.


	2. Chapter 2

The Rocker Chair, 

     Chapter 2

      Much to his dismay, Padmé started madly coursing through her bureau. She began muttering curses that made even Anakin, who had grown up in the back streets of Mos Espa, blush. 

      "Where is Dormé?" she grumbled, alternately pulling out gowns and then discarding them. "I can't get into half of these blasted Senatorial gowns without her help!" She paused, running a hand through her hair and sighed in exasperation and turned to look at Anakin who hadn't said a word. When she saw the hurt expression on his face she paused, a little taken aback. "Ani? What wrong?" Padmé asked him softly.

       "I thought you would stay home today," he said quietly, trying unsuccessfully to mask the hurt in his voice. "After all, you've been ill..." he looked down to the floor, aware that he was just repeating himself but unsure of what else to say. She put the last of the gowns she held back on to the back of the chair.  Padmé wandered over to her husband who had turned away almost as if he were sulking. She put her hand on his shoulder and he pulled away, still not meeting her gaze. Smiling tenderly, she cupped his chin in her other hand, and turned his face towards her own. 

         "Anakin," she whispered. "Look at me..."

          At first he resisted, his pride wounded, but at last he allowed her eyes to meet his own. 

          "I'm sorry," he said finally. "I've never dealt with anything like this before... I don't know how to treat you... how to act... I sent Dormé away and then sent word to the Chancellor's Office asking if they could excuse you for another day..."

           Padmé suddenly silenced him with a kiss. She closed her eyes; slowly running her hands down his back and pulled him in closer. He tenderly returned her kiss, putting his arms around her back but carefully avoiding her belly.

            At last, eyes still closed, she rested her head under his chin. 

            "Forgiven... this time" Padmé told him, and she began to giggle.

            "What's so funny?" he asked irritably.

             She didn't say anything but slowly moved his left hand down to her belly and held it there, even as he tried to pull away.

              "Padmé, please..." 

              "Don't be silly Ani," she murmured into his breastbone, lacing her fingers into his. "There's nothing to be afraid of..."

              "I'm not afraid!" replied Anakin, aware that the tremor in his voice belied the truth. "Really... It's just... just..."

               She began to rock with him, and after a moment, Anakin began almost dreamily humming a lullaby. 

                "Is that for me, or for your baby?" Padmé asked him playfully. He didn't answer her directly but she could feel him tighten his embrace, ever so slightly.

                  "And now that you've got me to yourself today..." She pulled one hand slowly round to his front and traced a line lightly down his chest and abdomen with her finger tips. "Tell me 'Master Jedi'..." she whispered huskily and then softly nuzzled his throat. 

                 "For OUR baby," he purred and suddenly lifted her into his arms. "I have OTHER plans for you..." 

                 "Breakfast?" she asked him coyly. 

                 "Breakfast," he agreed, carrying her back to their bed. "And something to eat afterwards..."


	3. The Rocker Chair 3

The Rocker Chair 

Chapter 3

  They lay together, after love, blissfully content in each other's arms. Anakin, despite his initial bravado had been as gentle and considerate to her as on their wedding night and Padmé, who was perhaps not as fully recovered as she thought, had fallen deeply asleep. Anakin tenderly stroked the side of her head, thinking to himself. His mind kept drifting back to one thing in particular, the loving, comforting, feeling he had shared rocking with Padmé. It seemed so natural, so... right. He had vague memories of his mother on Tatooien, a Rocker Chair made of wood and fragments of the lullaby he had shared with Padmé earlier but the majority of which were just feelings of comfort and belonging. Even as an older child, mom and the Rocker Chair... the WOODEN Rocker Chair. Wood was almost as rare on Tatooien as it was on Coruscant but some how, somewhere, she had found it. Perhaps she had traded for it in the limit side markets of Mos Espa, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that it had been a permanent fixture in their sparse lives, and a comforting one at that. A place where he could just 'be'... sometimes with mom, sometimes just himself... It was something that seemed to be sorely lacking in this Senatorial apartment. A touch of 'home' so to speak... the flat was comfortable enough Anakin supposed. Far more luxurious than the quarters he would have shared with Master Obi-wan in the Jedi temple and it compared to the slave quarters, it was a virtual palace, but still...

       He reluctantly tried to push the thought aside. Of course one could find furniture almost anywhere, even wooden chairs. Indeed, in the small anti-chamber that served as the bedroom, Padmé had managed to bring a pair from Naboo but they seemed to serve more as a reminder of her duty as a Senator as apposed to her home world. It seemed that other than a couple of very small tokens of endearment that they had given each other, their 'home' was still just a place like any other. They had their 'Secret Place' which had served as their safe house on those rare occasions when they could be together but again; it was just a 'place'. Everywhere was just a place, what he wanted was a home. 

             Again his mind drifted back to the Rocker Chair, it seemed to sum up so many feelings, all good and warm. He suddenly had a vision of Padmé, sitting and rocking back and forth with (the first) of their children in her arms. His heart ached at the thought, what a lovely gift that would make. She had given him a family of his own, he could give her...

          (How are you going to get it Skywalker? Not only are possessions forbidden, but Credits and Jedi Padawans seem to be mutually exclusive and I really don't see Master Kenobi opening his pocket book for such a thing...) Anakin grimaced. No, that wouldn't work...

           (Think Skywalker...)

Unless... 

           (Droid parts)

It might work...

           (The parts dumps, he'd visited as a teenager sneaking away from the Jedi Temple)

Trade for the wood...

            (Trade small working droids in the markets of lower Coruscant)

He could build it himself...

            (Padmé said he needed something else to do to keep himself occupied)

It could work...

             "Padmé...?" he whispered softly and she sighed in response. "I'll make us something to eat OK?"

              She rolled over, still fast asleep, and he kissed her tenderly on the forehead. 

              "Angel..." he said quietly, and slowly made his way out of the bed and into the kitchenette.

              "Tomorrow," he thought to himself. He would start putting this idea into action then. For now, it was time to feed his wife and child...


	4. fight

   The Rocker Chair 

Chapter 4

  It had taken him nearly a month and a half to do it but at long last it was finished. Large enough and sturdy enough to hold even Threepio's weight, yet it was delicate in its design. At least twenty six different kinds of wood from various scraps and market traders had all been lovingly reshaped and carved into his beautiful gift of the heart.  Barring any last minute decisions from Obi-wan to take off to some gods forsaken planet on some pointless exercise or another, he could bring it home to Padmé as soon as tomorrow. Well, technically, later today as it was so late. Anakin had become swallowed up the act of creation, finalizing small details and almost completely unaware of the time until a quick glance of the chrono told him how late it really was.

         Anakin tried to sneak in to the bed next to Padmé, as carefully as he could, trying not to disturb her. It was almost dawn and he wanted to get at least a few hours of sleep...

         "Do all Jedi have such cold feet?" She asked him quietly, irritation evident in her voice.

         "No," he yawned. "Just Desert dwellers." He put his arms around her tenderly but to his surprise, she pulled away. "Padmé?" he whispered quietly. "What's wrong?"

          "If you have to ask..." she snapped.

          Anakin groaned and sat up. He was too tired to deal with such things as a temperamental, pregnant wife. Still, discretion was decidedly in order here. He started stroking her arm, trying to ignore the fact that she had pulled the coverlet practically over her head. 

         "Angel?" he pressed tenderly. "Please..."

         "Why don't you use one of your damned Jedi mind tricks to find out?" she started to weep and he grew more concerned.

         "Padmé, please..." he entreated."I really don't know what's wrong."

          "You LIED to me!" she sobbed, curling up and away from his touch. "I talked to Obi-wan!"

          "What?" he exclaimed, thoroughly puzzled at first and then as realization dawned on him he grew angry. "Oh for the love of... Padmé, it's not what you think..." Force! How was he going to get out of this one? There was only one way. Reluctantly, he got back out of bed and began to get dressed.

          "Where are you GOING?" she cried incredulous. "I can't believe you're just going to leave?!"

          Anakin sighed through gritted teeth. Obi-wan would pay dearly for his lack of discretion, but for now, he had to take care of business at hand.

          "Padmé, beloved... I need to take care of something... I'll be back soon enough..."

          Padmé threw a pillow at him, hitting him square in the chest and Anakin, not in the best of circumstances a patient man snapped. 

          "Fine!" he shouted, "Perhaps I just won't come back at all!" and with that he stormed out of the little flat, seemingly oblivious to Padmé's tears.


	5. Anakin

        The Rocker Chair 

Chapter 5

   Anakin summoned an air taxi and headed out towards the outskirts of the main city. Thankfully, the driver could see that his passenger was not in a sociable state of mind, and after a very brief attempt at conversation allowed Anakin to be alone with his thoughts. Part of him was furious, not only with Padmé and Obi-wan, but with himself as well. What in the name of the Force had come over him? He had never walked out on her before, at least, never any farther than the next room any way. He was angry, and hurt, and above all exhausted. The strain of trying to keep up with his training and the war was on top of trying to complete the chair was just too much. He needed to just get away for a little while and think. It would be a long journey to the flat, and he wanted to rest. Anakin leaned back, closed his eyes and tried to relax but to no avail. His mind would not stop turning things over and over; fear and self doubt rang through his mind like a toll bell. "Not good enough" sang one side, "Can't do this" sang the other. "What do you know about being a father" a new voice chimed in.  Anakin suddenly threw his hands over his head, trying to shut out the sounds but they only increased in their ear spitting din. 

        "Enough!" he shrieked, startling the driver who had already stopped the air cab.

        "Sir?" he said warily. "Are you alright? We're at your destination..."

        Anakin slowly uncovered his ears and raised his head. He blinked in momentary confusion until he realized that he must have fallen asleep after all.

        "Sir?" the drive inquired again warily, but this time, Anakin forced a smile.

        "Sorry," he mumbled. "Tired I guess..."

        "Are you sure this is where you want to be let off sir?" the driver began but Anakin silenced him with a glance. He paid the fare and tipped a little more generously than he usually did, anxious to get inside. The little smuggler's flat had become a queer sort of sanctuary in recent months, first for himself and Padmé, and now just for himself. It was a place that was away from everyone and everything, a place where he could almost always silence the voices of self doubt that plagued him more and more frequently as both the wars and now, his wife's pregnancy, progressed.

          He used his access key and listened for the beep that signified that the door had locked behind him. Anakin took a deep breath and sighed, throwing his cloths rather half hazzardly around the room. Obi-wan had hated it when he did that, as did Padmé, but now that he was alone he felt and almost childish sense of rebellion in the actions. He savored the feeling momentarily, then picked up the cloths and tossed them over to the chair. 

            The chair!  The damned rocker chair! Part of him wanted to take it and throw it across the room in a fit of destructive rage, but in his heart he knew better. It seemed to some up everything in its completion. The reality of WHY he'd made it! The sight of the completed piece seemed to cement the fact in his mind that this was a gift for his wife, his firstborn. HIS OWN! The thought was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.  

           "Father…" he whispered aloud, both relishing and fearing the word.  "Mom…"

He flinched a little at that thought.  Shmi would never know her grandchildren and the idea pained him a little. "Stop clinging to the past Skywalker," he admonished himself. "She's gone, no amount of guilt or self berating will bring her back. She's one with the Force now… and part of her will always be with you. With us…" He allowed himself a small smile as it finally really sank in. Padmé. The baby. Their family… HIS Family.  It would take some getting used to, but he could do it. Just one little step at a time starting with the tradition of the family rocker chair.

               He would rest for a little while and then arrange to have the chair transported to Padmé's flat while he would take her to a quiet restaurant and make things up to her. The rocker would be waiting for her when they returned and hopefully she would be in a more forgiving frame of mind. Hopefully.   Only dressed in a light shirt and trousers, he threw himself on to the bed and closed his eyes again. He didn't hear the click of the door being opened or the beep that followed. Unaware that he had company, Anakin had fallen back into an exhausted sleep

. 


	6. Intruder

  The Rocker chair, chapter 6

                     The figure just stood in the door way, just watching the young Jedi sleep. Anakin, seemingly blissfully unaware, sighed softly and rolled over on to his side, and perhaps... just perhaps, a soft snore could be heard. 

                     Emboldened, the figure took a tentative step towards the sleeping figure, and was met with the snap hiss of an ignited light saber at their throat.

                     Padmé fell back a step, shrieking and suddenly uttered a purely unladylike curse, causing Anakin to open his eyes as wide as they'd ever been. Disengaging the deadly blade, he dropped the saber to the floor and practically threw himself at her.

                    "Oh Force Beloved!" he cried, and began smothering her face with kisses. "Gods, I could have..."

                    "Oh Ani..." Padmé sobbed, burying her face into his chest. "I didn't mean to drive you away..."

                   Anakin pulled her in even closer. "Oh Padmé," he whispered softly into her ear. "Never, never, never think that..." he started to undo the fastenings on her coat. It was an oddly heavy coat for the season, and he figured that even in the chill of the flat she would be hot. He slipped his hands inside and to his surprise, they met bare flesh. Anakin pulled away and looked at Padmé, thoroughly puzzled.

                  Padmé smiled sweetly at him and began to finish undoing the buttons.

                 "I wanted to make my apologies to you... in person," she said huskily, and dropped the coat to the floor where it pooled around her ankles. The only thing that adorned her now was a pair of slip on shoes that were quickly and carelessly kicked aside. She took his hands into her own, holding the one to her breast and placing the other to her lips. She kissed his open palm, delighting in his reaction. 

                "I'm sorry Ani..." she whispered, and then began to tease his finger tips over her lips suggestively."Can we kiss and make up?"

                Anakin only nodded dumbly at first and pulled her back down onto the bed, closer to himself. He finally found his voice, choked as it might have been. "Only good part of a fight," he murmured into her ear. "Making up... next time... skip the fight... go straight to this... " 

               Padmé nodded, and began tracing kisses down the front of his body, undressing him as she went. Very quickly, Padmé realized that her plans for an apology were being very, very, well received indeed.

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	7. New Traditions

The Rocker Chair 

Chapter 7

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      Hours later, they lay together, just enjoying each other's warmth.  Anakin stroked her hair tenderly, a look of consternation on his face.

      "What on earth possessed you love?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "Even in the best of times that wasn't exactly the safest, or smartest thing you've ever done..." He immediately regretted his last statement, and would have given anything to take it back.

       "You don't think I can take care of myself Skywalker?" she sat up suddenly, poking his chest lightly but firmly. "Do you really think after all of these years in politics and multiple attempts on my life that I would be as foolish as to NOT be prepared? Dorme was following behind inn a speeder just to make sure..."

         Anakin took her hand and began kissing her fingers as she had done earlier. "I'm sorry beloved," he began quietly, a small smile on his lips. His expression quickly became one of concern when he saw her wince as she started to get up.

        "Padmé?" he pleaded softly, unsure.

        "It's alright," she gave him a smile that quickly faded to a grimace. 

        "The... the baby?" Anakin's voice trembled a little. Force this was so difficult!

        "Your son," she chastised him gently. "He gets, well, 'fidgety' for want of a better word. I have to move about to calm him down." She reached down to the floor, picked up Anakin's shirt and slipped it over her head. "Cold..." she sighed.

         "Excuse me, milady!" Anakin chuckled, pulling on his trousers. "We've had this conversation before, a Jedi's cloths are not..."

         She leaned over and kissed his nose. "Would you rather I wear one of those regular 'outside' dresses? All bulky and ceremonial... Besides, this is just as handy." Anakin just shook his head, still chuckling. He suddenly stopped, all seriousness again.

         "Wait," he said softly. "Close your eyes..."

         "Ani, I can't sit still..." she protested a little anxiously.

         "Trust me, just for a moment." Anakin walked over to the rocker chair that had been shoved into the corner and covered with his discarded clothing. He uncovered it and carefully pulled it into a better light. 

          "Eyes still closed?" he asked, and Padmé sighed but nodded in agreement. He walked over to her and covered her eyes, then led her over to the middle of the room. Slowly, he lowered his hands and wrapped his arms around her chest from behind. 

           "Ok," he whispered. "You can look now..."

            Padmé opened her eyes and gasped, speechless. He had always been either tinkering with small electrical parts, or shaping small pieces of wood. Always busy with something.  She knew that Anakin had many skills, even for a Jedi, but this... 

            "Oh... Ani..." she breathed at last. "It's beautiful..." She turned to him, eyes wide. "This is what... where..." she couldn't finish her train of thought. She looked deeply into his sleepy blue eyes, and he smiled.

             "Do you like it?" he asked her quietly. 

             Padmé kissed him tenderly. "Oh beloved, it's beautiful. How did you get the..." She trailed off, embarrassed.

             Anakin only chuckled softly. "No need to worry dear heart. Nothing illegal... a few late night requisitions, traded for some other... Ok, perhaps not completely above board but nothing to be too concerned over. Unless you don't want it..." he arched his eyebrows playfully and she made as if to poke him in the chest in anger. 

              Padmé turned to look at the rocker chair again, taking in all of the intricacies. The woods themselves were of different hues, reflecting both their different ages and origins. Everything was placed together in such a way that the over all effect was that of a homey piece, made more for utility as apposed to aesthic purposes but there was one minor exception. On the back of the chair, a small pair of wings were intricately engraved and inlaid with a pearlesent material, and in Aurebesh, the word "Angel" underneath.

              "Sit," he entreated her, leading her over to the rocker. 

               "Would it hold both of us" she whispered, a teasing lilt to her voice, and as if to demonstrate, Anakin sat down and pulled her into his lap. 

                "Satisfied?" he nuzzled her ear and chuckled again. Slowly but surely, with Padmé securely in his lap, he began to rock. She put her arms around his neck and sighed contentedly. Anakin supported her back with one arm, keeping the other on the side of the chair, and after a moment, he began to sing, very softly.

              "Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,

               Father will come to thee soon;

               Sleep my little one,

               Sleep my pretty one,

               Sleep."

               While he was singing he felt Padmé relaxing into his embrace, the tension leaving her body. She used her free hand to lightly stroke his chest and Anakin, in the meantime, perhaps not even being aware that he was doing it, slowly moved his hand from the arm of the chair. At long last, he gently started stroking Padmé's slightly swollen belly.  

               "Hello little one, I'm your father..."

Finis

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For those who like to know such things, the song that Anakin is singing is one I remembered from my own childhood of long ago. It's called "Sweet and Low" and was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson with the lovely music by Joseph Barnby. It's still available... ;)


	8. gentle readers

Gentle Reader, Thank you for coming along with Anakin and Padme'

and myself on our latest outing. The 'hidey place' is first introduced to us in "Secrets" and the Rocker found its way _out of "Endgames". I'm hoping to take our couple back to the meadow soon, kind of a pre-"Secrets" era story… I hope you'll join us! Feel free to e-mail me with Questions comments etc. Reviews here are always welcome!_

If you wish to archive or know of a place that might like my little stories, please e-mail me (so I know where I can have bragging rights!)

Many thanks and roses to all!

DB

@)%----^-----


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